Calm by the river

I was so nervous about the US election results I kept waking up in the night, and what I heard did not help induce sleep. I remember 4 years ago waking up and thinking Bill would be First Lady. I hoped for something positive to come out of this year.

I asked a fellow-blipper how this could be happening and this was the response, put much better than I ever could.


“Either the whole thing is a lie, and the election results have been fiddled and falsified; or half this country actively supports white supremacy, fascism, misogyny, lies, bullying, the stripping of health care from the poor, and the complete takeover of the government by billionaires without a grain of compassion in their entire beings.”

I didn’t feel like meeting Lynne for a walk but it was the last day we might get the chance. (She lives 12 miles away and thinks that’s going to be allowed during lockdown, but I’m not sure). It was bright and sunny and not too cold. We took the path by the river then through Thropton and up Physic Lane onto the moor and home. 16000 steps 10.5 km. we met 3 groups of people she knew all from her town. One said they’d tried to park at Lordenshaws to go up Simonside but it was full. So many visitors coming. I hope they will adhere to the new rules but I’m not convinced people will comply this time.

I had a made a pot of lentil soup which went down well. We could sit in the garden and not feel cold.

We had a good chat and she left me with Hamnet to read which I’m told by everyone who has read it that it is wonderful. 2 daughter warned me though that I might find the death of his child upsetting. Strangely when I told Lynne this, we discovered she had not know my eldest daughter had died. (We must not have known each other till after that - it’s funny how going for a walk brings things up).

Tomorrow is to be another nice day weather wise. I’m not sure I’ll manage a walk. A bit is slash and burn in the garden is required.